In celebration of Black History Month, the MOSAIC invites you to attend a documentary screening of "The League" on Tuesday, February 11 from noon – 2 p.m. in Student Commons, Room 114. The producer, Byron Motley, brings together the voices of athletes and spectators who were deeply impacted by the Negro Baseball League at the height of segregation in the U.S. Byron Motley honors his father, Bob Motley, who was a recognizable umpire in the league. 

Learn more about how baseball brought together a community and how the players forever altered the game of baseball. After the screening, Byron Motley will deliver a brief lecture to share more about his father’s story and underscore the significance of the league. Students who attend will be entered into a drawing to win a signed copy of the co-authored book by Bob and Byron Motley, "The Negro Baseball Leagues." 

Continue reading to learn more about Black History Month. 

Black History Month

Prior to 1915: Before the early 1900s, there wasn't much publicly available information about Black history and culture. Famous abolitionists like Harriet Tubman, Black writers, leaders and influential community members alike were not yet widely known. Even though they went unrecognized for their contributions to American life and culture, they made an immeasurable impact in their communities and are an important thread of American history. 

1915, founding of Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH): Historian Carter G. Woodson along, with other prominent African Americans, founded the ASNLH for the purpose of researching and promoting achievements by African Americans and people of African descent. 

1926, first Negro History Week: Known today as the Association for the Study of African Americans Life and History (ASALH), the organization celebrated the first Negro History Week during the second week of February in 1926 to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Fredrick Douglass (February 14). Although it was not recognized as a national holiday, schools and communities across the country celebrated the week. 

1976, Black History Month is federally recognized: During the 1960s, some colleges extended the week to be celebrated throughout the month of February. Later, U.S. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, saying to the public, “Seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

2025, Black History Month theme is Black Labor: Every year there is a different theme for the month, and 2025’s theme is Black Labor, focusing on how various types of work intersect with the experiences of Black people. According to the ASHLH, “2025 marks the 100-year anniversary of the creation of Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids by labor organizer and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, which was the first Black union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor.”

To learn more, visit the following websites: 

• Black History Month 2024: Facts, Theme & Origins | HISTORY
• ASALH - The Founders of Black History Month | BLACK HISTORY THEMES
• https://blackhistorymonth.gov/index.html

References 

Annual themes (n.d.). Black History Themes. ASALH. Retrived January 15, 2025 from https://asalh.org/black-history-themes/.

Filmmaker (n.d.). Byron's Documentary "The League." Byronmotley.com. Retrieved January 15, 2025 from https://byronmotley.com/filmmaker.

History.com. 2010, Jan, 14. Black History Month. History. Retrieved January 15, 2025 from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month.